“I think one element of this debate which has been skated over and shouldn’t have been are actually the remarks made by Nigel Farage”
Tory leadership hopeful Mel Stride has accused Nigel Farage of “fuelling conspiracy theories” following the killing of three children in Southport last week.
Three young girls were killed in a horrific attack which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children suffered stab wounds and at least two were in a critical condition, alongside two adults.
Within hours of the horrific attack, the far-right were spreading misinformation about the identity of the attacker, claiming that he had arrived in the UK via a small boat with a number of far-right social media accounts claiming that the attacker was Muslim, a migrant, refugee or foreigner.
The attacker has been named as Cardiff born Axel Rudakubana, 17. He has now been charged with murdering Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, along with 10 counts of attempted murder.
Following the attack, rioting broke out in Southport, with a mosque attacked, resulting in 27 police officers being taken to hospital. Police have said they believe the men involved are part of the far-right English Defence League.
After the horrific attack in Southport, Farage posted a video online speculating on the background of the alleged killer shortly after the knife attack took place last week and also falsely suggested that “the truth is being withheld from us” by the police.
He also falsely claimed that “some reports suggest he was known to the security services”.
His remarks were called out by Mel Stride, who is one of six candidates in the Tory leadership racing hoping to replace Rishi Sunak.
Speaking to Sky News, Stride said: “I think one element of this debate which has been skated over and shouldn’t have been are actually the remarks made by Nigel Farage, for example, when the terrible incident in Southport first occurred.
“His suggestion that the police might not have been telling the truth about that situation, I think helped fuel conspiracy theories around what was happening [and] was deeply unhelpful.
“I think linking what happened in Southport with the terrible incident that happened regarding a uniformed soldier in Kent over the last week is also another unfortunate linkage, perhaps suggesting that terrorism might have been involved when the authorities are saying that it hasn’t.
“I think those things are examples of the kind of language and interventions at a moment of crisis are deeply unhelpful and I think that’s why we need level heads and moderation as well as very firm action.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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